Chapter Thirty-Six
The Pregnancy Potion
A/N: If I'm being honest, I didn't think it had been this long since I last updated, so I apologize.
Disclaimer: I only own Aurora and any other OCs. Remember, I will occasionally use quotes from the books and the movies; I do not own direct quotes or phrases. The chapter images (ArchiveOfOurOwn, Quotes, and Wattpad) do not belong to me. I have found them either through Google or Pinterest. I take NO credit.
~ oOo ~
The first term of the school year had to come to an end. Those who weren't staying for the holidays or the Yule Ball had ridden the train back to London, where they would spend it with their families. Hagrid had found a beautiful fern tree, while Filius used his mastery of charms to levitate all the ornaments to their rightful place. The castle was continuously cold, and the ceiling in the Great Hall was now releasing snow all day long. It was her favorite season, and Aurora was definitely in love with the changes. Despite the bitterness of the cold in her dungeons, Hogwarts castle during the winter was, for sure, her second home.
It was currently Wednesday, and the Yule Ball, on Christmas Eve, wasn't until Saturday. The final grading for the Fall Term needed to be finalized by the end of the day. Aurora had held herself in the classroom all day, trying to finish whatever grading she had left. She was bound and determined to finish everything within the next hour because she wanted to spend the evening with Severus by the fire.
But before that could happen, they had a date next to Severus' cauldron in his office. It had been several weeks since they had decided to start a family, and this would be the first time Aurora consumed a pregnancy potion. She wasn't sure she was pregnant, but she was eager to see if there had been any changes inside her body. But Aurora had to finish her grading before any of that could happen.
Sighing, the witch glanced through all the paperwork she had already graded and realized she was on her last tack of tests. Celebrating internally, the witch set forth to finish the not-so-daunting task.
Having just placed a finished test in the graded pile, Aurora's head stopped when a knocking from her door echoed across her classroom.
"Aurora? Are you in there?"
Expecting to hear her husband's voice, she smiled when she noticed it was Hermione's. Waving her hand, she allowed the door to open with windless magic. Seeing the fourth-year student in casual clothing left the witch professor smiling. Holding up a finger, Aurora wanted to finish this test before holding a conversation. She needed several more minutes but could add one more piece of parchment to the graded pile.
Folding her hands together, she watched Hermione sit at one of the student desks. "Alright, Hermione…what can I do for you today?"
The young witch was silent for a moment as she twiddled her thumbs. "How…how're you doing, Aurora?"
Eyebrow raised, Aurora watched her former student, questioning what she was doing here. Chuckling, Aurora shook her head. "I've been doing fairly well. And yourself, Hermione?"
The girl seemed nervous, and Aurora couldn't grasp what it was. "I've been doing alright. Bust with school work, but nothing compared to last year."
"Oh, I bet, kiddo. You placed a lot on your shoulders by wanting to take so many additional classes."
"Yeah…"
Knowing something was wrong, Aurora stood. Grabbing a chair, she placed it before Hermione and then sat down. Holding her stare with the young girl, Aurora asked, "Ok, kiddo, what's going on? You're not acting like yourself. Has something happened?"
"Nothing's happened per se…I'm just kind of nervous about the Yule Ball this weekend."
The witch blinked. "The ball? Why? Aren't you going with Ron or Harry?"
Rolling her eyes, Hermione scoffed. "Oh, no, no…those two never even asked if I wanted to go with them. Besides, when Ronald discovered he could ask me, I'd already said yes to someone else."
"Someone else?" Now, that piqued Aurora's interest. "Did someone ask you to be their date?" She asked excitedly. Though she was sheepish, Hermione nodded. "Oh my gosh! Who?!"
"Viktor Krum," Hermione admitted with a redness coating her cheeks.
Clapping her hands, Aurora beamed. "Hermione! I am so happy for you!" She could see her former student smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "But…what's wrong? Aren't you happy?"
"I am, I am!" Hermione said. "It has nothing to do with Viktor and everything to do with why I'm here to see you."
"Hermione…you're concerning me now…
"No, no!" Waving her hands before her, the young witch quickly explained her previous statement. "I'm here because I have a favor to ask and no one else to turn to."
The professor's eyebrows lifted. "Favor? Me? Sure, what is it?"
"W-Well, I…I have friends who are girls, but I'm not close to them like I am with Harry or Ron; I don't…what I'm trying to say is…"
Placing a hand on her arm, Aurora leaned her hand forward to stare calmly at the witch. "Hey, it's ok; you know you can ask me for anything."
Smiling softly at her friend's words, Hermione took a deep breath. "I-I need help."
"Oh." Aurora blinked again. "Really? That's it? Of course, I'll help you!"
"But…you don't even know what I need help with."
Laughing, Aurora responded, "So, tell me."
"I need…I need help with Saturday with Saturday. I have no one to ask about this, but…how will I be able to of my hair? I don't even have a dress!"
Everything clicked.
Blinking, Aurora understood why Hermione was seeking her out. The woman was about to question Hermione's relationship with Ginny Weasley but decided against it. The young witch had sought out her professor, and so Aurora would do what she could.
Clasping the student's hands, Aurora smiled. "You have no idea what it means that you came to me all Saturday night feeling the most beautiful you've ever felt."
Hermione's eyes widened. "Just like that, you'll help me?"
"OF course!" Aurora beamed.
"Thank you, thank you, Aurora!" Hermione smiled brightly, fingers tightening around her professor's.
"So! It sounds like we have much to get done before Saturday, but…you said you don't even have a dress?"
The young student nodded. "Ginny and I went to Hogsmeade together, but I looked at so many dresses that I didn't want to wear."
Holding a hand to her chin, Aurora thought for a moment. "Hm, that does limit our ability to find the right dress. The question is…do you trust me? Because I can transform the dress you want to wear."
"You…you can do that? For me?"
"Oh, why yes! I'll need a spare shirt or something, and I'll be able to transform the perfect dress!" Aurora continued to beam, delighted at this change in her grading day. She was excited to get started. "Let's do this. Because I have some grading to finish today, how about we build your dress and discuss everything else we need to take care of? How does that sound?"
Sighing in relief, Hermione quickly nodded her head. "That sounds, I can't…I'm just so thankful you're willing to help me, Aurora."
"No, I'm the one who's thankful, Hermione. You felt comfortable to come to me for help."
"Well, I trust you, Aurora. You are probably my favorite professor."
Unable to hide the redness in her cheeks, Aurora giggled. "Heh, stop, you're making me blush!"
Her statement caused Hermione to laugh. "I'm serious! You've done so much for Harry, Ron, and me over the past several years when you didn't have to."
"Well, I…"
"You're one of the coolest adults I know. You've been a healer, worked with dragons, and now you teach. Plus, all of the places you've traveled to. I can't believe everything you've been able to do!"
Patting Hermione's head, Aurora stood and returned the chair to her original position. "Anything is possible, Hermione. You have such a bright future ahead of you. Keep focusing on your studies; you can do almost anything."
The young witch suddenly scoffed, causing Aurora to turn and stare at the young witch. "You know, I've been telling Ron and Harry the same thing!"
Aurora winced at the boy's names. She was still somewhat hurt by the conversation she had with Harry and Ron several weeks prior. Neither had stopped by her classroom like they used to. And, despite what they said, she missed the two boys dearly.
"You know…" Hermione suddenly said as she swung her legs back and forth. "Harry and Ron used to mention you frequently, but lately, they've barely said your name."
Aurora turned her back to Hermione ."Huh…yeah, that is weird." She grabbed her quill and fiddled with the feathers. She only turned when her student moved from sitting to standing before the woman's desk.
The young witch raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me something happened between you three?"
Not wanting to speak on what the boys said, Aurora merely shrugged. "I…they…"
But Hermione wasn't buying it. "What did they do?"
Sighing heavily, the professor immediately caved because she knew Hermione would argue with her until she broke and spilled everything. Sitting in her desk chair, she cradled her cheek. "I'm…not sure you would like it if I tell you."
"Oh no, no. If those boys said something to you, I need to know."
Aurora was stuck between keeping silent or explaining everything to the young witch. Though this was a private conversation she had with two students, it did not focus on their academics; quite the opposite.
Deciding to explain everything, Aurora set her quill down. 'I'm fairly upset with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley," she said solemnly.
Hermione winced. "Oof, using their last names; not good."
With a nod of her head, Aurora continued. "They came to see me a few weeks ago, acting like they just wanted to talk. I did think it was weird that you weren't with them, but…" The woman swallowed. Just thinking about the implications of their statements left the witch's stomach curling. "Basically, they came to ask me about my marriage to Professor Snape."
"Your marriage? …that's odd."
"My thoughts exactly. Essentially, they were concerned and wanted the truth from me. I guess they thought the article in The Prophet was wrong. But…instead of being sincere, your friends were bloody cruel." Taking a deep breath, she added, "They couldn't accept that he's the one I matted and accused Professor Snape of beating or assaulting me."
The room was momentarily silent until Hermione slammed her hands on Aurora's desk. "You…WHAT?! Those…those jerks!" She nearly screeched. She began pacing back and forth across the classroom, pulling out her hair. "How dare they…how dare they?! Those two! I swear they have some vendetta against Professor Snape, but that-that doesn't excuse them of assuming the worst out of them! Bloody hell, I don't know him personally, but seeing how he is around you leads me to believe he's a decent man!"
Falling back against her chair, Aurora's mouth dropped. Hermione wasn't one to curse, and for the witch to do so meant she was livid. Holding her hands up, the elder witch remained calm, for she'd already been given a few weeks to calm down. "Look, Hermione, it is what it is. I can't stop them from not liking Professor Snape, but - "
"No! I'm going to fix this right now!"
And so, the young witch left, slamming the door behind her. Aurora watched in silence the entire time, lost and confused at the girl's reaction. Not one to waste a moment, Aurora took hold of her quill and set again to finish the stack of tests she had to grade.
Silence resumed her office; the only sound was the gentle scratch of her quill. At that point, she only had several tests left to grade, and then she would be done for the semester. Once she was done, she could enjoy the holiday break with her husband. They had spent the last several Christmases' together, but this would be their first winter holiday as a married couple. Excitement didn't even cover what Aurora was feeling. She was ecstatic to give Severus his gift. The man was typically tricky to shop for, and this year was no different, but she still couldn't wait for Christmas morning.
But it wasn't just Christmas Day; Aurora couldn't wait for the night before. Specifically, the Yule Ball. She couldn't wait to dress up, do her hair, and wear her gorgeous dress. The attire would never compare to her wedding dress, which Severus has even stated, but she would still feel beautiful. The best part was that Severus hadn't seen the dress and wouldn't see it until the Yule Ball. The man also didn't know that she would cash in on her bet from the night of the Quidditch World Cup. She would make Severus wear a ribbon in his hair that night.
Aurora grinned evilly at the thought.
Oh, the man was going to be so upset with her.
"Just you wait, Severus," she said aloud to herself. "I'm gonna make you so handsome."
Aurora's ears perked upward at that moment as she could hear scuffling and voices coming from beyond her door.
"Bloody hell, Hermione! Stop dragging us!" That was definitely Ronald's voice.
"No, absolutely not! You and Harry are going to apologize to Aurora this instant!" She could hear the young witch huff and puff. "The nerve…I can't believe you would treat Aurora in such a way!"
"B-But, Hermione!" That was Harry speaking. "We were so rude to Aurora; she probably doesn't want to see us anyway!"
"Harry's right. Besides, we had every right to say what we did - HEY!"
Aurora chuckled behind a hand because she could hear the smack of Hermione's hand against Ron's head. Three knocks echoed across the door as the witch opened it again with her wandless magic. Hermione appeared from the other side with the boys on her heels. Finishing marking the last test, Aurora set it off to the side, linking her hands before her. She watched as all three stepped forward, everyone watching each other.
A tense silence filled the air. Hermione watched Aurora; Aurora watched Harry and Ron; Harry smiled at his former teacher, and Ron stared at the ground.
"Well," Aurora leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. "Isn't this an interesting meeting?" Ron's eyes lifted a little, but then he darted them away.
Huffing, Hermione said, "I brought these two here so they could apologize." When neither male stepped forward, she quipped, "Well? Don't you two have something to say?"
Harry didn't need additional coaxing. "Aurora…I'm sorry!" He bowed his head. "I've wanted to stop by and apologize these last few weeks, but I didn't think you'd even want to speak with me."
She quirked an eyebrow, though her gaze softened. "Did you think I wouldn't forgive you?"
This caused Harry to blink several times. "You, well…after what we said, yeah. I didn't think you'd want to speak with us."
Her gaze, by now, had fully softened as her lips turned upward. Standing, she made her way to place herself before the three students, though she still kept her arms crossed. "Did you really think that little of me?" Neither said anything. "What you guys did was wrong, but you did that from a place where you care."
Seemingly taken aback by her words, Harry stated, "I am sorry. I did not want to hurt you the day."
"I greatly appreciate your apology, Harry, truly."
It was then three sets of eyes turned to Ron.
Poking her friend in the arm, Hermione snapped. "Are you just going to stand there, or will you say sorry?!"
"What do you expect me to say? I only wanted to make sure that Aurora was safe!"
"Then you went about it poorly!"
Aurora held her hand upward, gently preventing Hermione from speaking. "Ronald, just like I told Harry, I can see that you care. But your execution was in poor taste."
The young wizard planned sheepishly, doing everything imaginable to avoid Aurora's gaze. "But, I just…" Even Ron knew there was no getting around what he did. Ashamed, Ron was quiet, and he called her name. "A-Aurora…?"
She smiled gently. "Yes, Ron?"
"I…I'm sorry…"
Stepping forward even further until she was before him, she patted his head affectionately. "I thank you, Ronald, and I accept your apology."
Harry's ears lifted. "J-Just like the?"
Their professor nodded. "Like I said, I know you came from a sincere place. I hope you understand the severe implications of your words."
"We do," the two said simultaneously.
"…do you?" Aurora countered. Leaning backward against her desk, she then added, "You two accused my husband - your professor - of abusing me when neither of you has proof. Besides, you barely learned we're married before you indicted him."
"We just…" Ron began. "You mean so much to us, Aurora, and Professor Snape has always been so mean. We didn't want you to be treated in a manner you didn't deserve."
"Instead of making accusations, why didn't you just ask?"
The two boys shared another stare. "We-We didn't think you would tell us anything."
"So, you go against my best wishes and state something horrible about him?"
Dropping his arms to his side, Ron looked right at his professor. "Then…why did you marry Professor Snape?"
His question left the woman chuckling. "You're asking me why? Let me reverse the questions and ask you this, Ron: why did your parents marry each other?" She waited momentarily for the red-headed boy to answer, but she continued when he said nothing. "Well, Ron. I can tell you that your parents married one another because they loved each other dearly and wanted to spend their lives together." Ron's ears began turning red, but Aurora kept speaking. He wanted a reason, and she was willing to give him an answer.
"It's the same with Professor Snape and I. We love each other and have planned to spend the rest of our lives together. He…" She sighed almost dreamily, thinking of why she loved the man so much. "Professor Snape is perfect for me. Is he a perfect man? No, absolutely not, but neither am I. He is my best friend and has been with me through thick and thin. There's nothing else I can explain to you, Ron, why I married him. But," she smiled. "I can guarantee you that the man has never hit me. At moments, I'm well aware that he can be rude, but outside of that, the man is a gentleman."
For the moment, Ron seemed incredulous. On the one hand, he knew Aurora was telling the truth, but on the other, he knew his distaste for Professor Snape was real. Dropping his tense shoulders, Ron sighed. "Then I guess…there's no going against it. That's it?"
"That's it," she said.
Nodding, Ron then stated, "I am…sorry, Aurora. I should not have accused Professor Snape in such a manner."
Again, his words caused her to laugh. "Apology accepted, my dear Weasley. And you too, Harry."
There was another awkward silence until Hermione was the brave soul to speak first. "So…are we all friends again?"
Eyebrow raised in confusion, Aurora asked, "What do you mean? Our friendship was never over, to begin with."
"Wait…" Ron also seemed confused for a different reason. "Really?"
Giggling, the woman nodded. "I may have been upset with the two of you, but I wasn't about to end our friendship because of something so silly."
Hermione nudged Harry in the arm. "See? I told you."
Wanting to push aside their conversation, Aurora changed the topic to something different. Clapping her hands together, she asked, "Ok, now that we got that out of the way, what're your thoughts about Saturday? You excited for the ball?"
Aurora knew Hermione's answer even though she eagerly nodded. Harry and Ron were the opposite as they groaned into their hands.
"Don't even ask us about that!" Ron groaned, ears turning pink. There was a story she was missing, and the woman was dying to know why it was.
Having a feeling the boys wouldn't be too excited, Aurora still held her hands up in defense. "Alright, touchy subject."
"Wait, hold on a moment." Three sets of eyes turned to Ron, who narrowed his vision. "I, I admit…I've cared too much about hearing of your marriage that there's one thing we haven't asked yet!" Everyone waited for the red-head to continue. "Why the bloody hell do you have two animagus forms?"
Bemoaning, the woman ran a hand down the length of her face. "Oh geez, not you too. First, it was Ms. Skeeter, then my students, and now you…"
"But come on! You possess two forms, and one of those is a dragon!"
"He's got a point, Aurora," Hermione commented.
Flinging her hands in the air, Aurora turned and claimed the seat at her desk. "I'll tell you the same thing I told the reporter: it's just an animagus form, nothing special."
Harry pipped up. "What's…so special about one of her forms being a dragon?"
"Anything dragon-related is rare, Harry," Ron stated, turning to his friend. "But it's not just the form. The fact that Aurora has two forms is rare in and of itself."
"So…" Harry tried to understand, and it was at moments like this the witch could see the gaps in the boy's upbringing between the Muggle world and the Wizarding world. "Like one in a hundred, type of rare?"
Hermione's curls bounced at the mathematical statement as she shook her head. "Try one in a couple hundred thousand, probably more."
Harry whistled. "Oh, wow!"
"Suffice to say, it's a form I rarely use. My panther form is the one I use when I patrol the castle at night."
"Now that sounds like a cheat to me," Ron snickered.
"Cheat or not, my eyesight in that form allows me to see in the dark without magic."
The four grew quiet when Harry suddenly whispered, "I love magic."
"And magic loves you, Harry," Aurora stated honestly. She was about to say more when a sudden knock caught her attention off guard.
"Aurora? Are you in here by chance - oh!" In came Poppy with her hand raised to rap on the open door. "Good, you are here! And good to see you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Granger."
"Good afternoon, Madame Pomfrey," all three stated.
"Ah, such manners, I love it. Aurora, may I borrow a moment of your time?"
"Of course, I always have time for you, Poppy! Would you like these three to…?"
The medi-witch shook her head. "No, no, this will only take a moment. Do you know where Sev - er - Professor Snape is, by chance?" The woman caught herself at the last moment before she could say Severus' full name.
"Ah, he's probably finishing his grading in his office. Would you like me to fetch him? He's just down the hall."
"Ah, no, that's quite alright. With the Yule Ball this weekend, I feel there's a specific potion I might need additional quantities for. If Severus is busy, could I bother you to brew several batches?"
"Oh, that is something I can do in Severus' stead. What potions will you be needing?"
"Draught of Peace and a simple headache potion."
Smirking, the woman knew exactly why those specific potions were requested. "That shouldn't be too bad. I could have that all done by tomorrow. Would the work?"
"That would be perfect. I have additional potion vials if you need anything."
"I will most likely take you up on that offer."
"Thank you, Aurora, you're a lifesaver!"
The woman waved a hand at her colleague. "Don't mention it, Poppy." The medi-witch then turned, waved to the three students, and exited the classroom.
Exhaling, Aurora said, "Well, I guess it's a good thing all my grading is done." Standing, the woman stretched her stiff joints.
"Does that mean we should let you be?" Harry asked.
She nodded in agreement. "Yeah, the sooner I gather the potions for Madam Pomfrey, the better she'll be in preparation for this weekend." Turning to Hermione, she added, "I haven't forgotten what we spoke about. Meet me here tomorrow after lunch, and we'll do what we discussed."
The young witch visibly sighed. "Thank you again, Aurora."
"You are most welcome, my dear. Now, shoo! To brew the two potions, I must conjure my awesomeness."
The three left, leaving Aurora alone as she spent the next half hour finagling the last of her grades, and the moment she was done, she smiled. Once she was done, it was still early afternoon, with enough time for the woman to gather the necessary ingredients and start brewing the potions. Wanting to see her husband first, she left her classroom and securely locked the door behind her. Meandering down the hall to Severus' office, she gently tapped her fist against the wood three times, waiting for the appropriate response.
Several seconds later, she heard a "Come in" and entered.
Severus sat at his desk, piles of parchment surrounding his frame as he dipped the quill into red ink and marked his student's final papers. The man's eyebrows were furrowed together, causing Aurora to release a whispered chuckle. Despite trying to be quiet, her voice echoed across the silent office. Lifting his head, Severus' scowl was severe, but the moment he noticed his wife standing in the doorway, he straightened and set his quill down.
"Aurora? To what do I owe the pleasure?"
She strolled to his side, tracing her fingers along his back. "What, am I not allowed to see my husband when I wish?"
"Considering we agreed to stay in our respected office to finish grading, yes."
She smiled smugly. "I finished my grading."
The eye roll he gave his wife was loud and clear. "At least one of us is. These papers are taking me longer than I expected."
Stroking his hair, Aurora leaned down and pecked his cheek. "I would offer my assistance, but Poppy has requested my help to brew potions for this weekend. Her stock is running low."
"She asked you?"
"Mhm. She came to me looking for you, but I said you were indisposed with all the grading you had left. Since I was done, I offered my free time to help."
"Well, isn't that generous of you."
"Very. You could learn much from my generosity."
"No thanks, I'll pass, I'd rather not."
Aurora pouted her lips. "Damn. Well…I tried."
He patted her cheek lovingly. "It will not work on me, dear Aurora."
"Too bad, I've heard through the grapevine that you could learn to be more generous."
Taking hold of her chin, Severus pulled his wife down until he could peck her lips. "I only share my generosity with the person that matters - you."
"Well, color me pink that makes me special."
Stifling a laugh, Severus pecked her lips for another kiss. "So, if you are to brew potions for Poppy, what're you doing with me?"
"Just to let you know that we probably wouldn't see each other until dinner."
"Ah," his eyes twinkled. "So you missed me."
It was Aurora's turn to kiss her husband's lips. "Something along those lines."
Releasing her chin, Severus gazed at the remaining piles of parchment he still needed to mark. "I can't persuade you to abandon your quest and help me?"
Patting his cheek lovingly, Aurora said, "If only, my dear husband, if only."
Sighing, Severus asked, "How much longer until dinner?"
"About…three hours?"
Sighing heavily, the man leaned back against his chair and crossed his arms annoyingly. "Bloody hell, this is going to take forever."
"Oh, dear husband…" Moving strands of hair away from his face, she smiled sweetly at the man. "Dinner will be here before you know it."
"Still…" He groaned, hand held over his eyes. Peering through his fingers, the solemn man glanced upward at the beautiful creature standing next to him. Sitting forward, the man curled an arm around her waist and pulled her closer, his free hand gently placing itself against her lower abdomen. "Are you ready? For after dinner?"
Peering downward at his hand, Aurora beamed, suddenly remembering the pregnancy potion. "Yes, yes, I am. Super excited! I guess I should start that potion while I'm at it, huh?"
He shook his head. "No need. I took the liberty to concoct the potion early this morning."
The woman's eyes widened at that. "What, really? Ah, so eager to know that you decided to create the potion while pushing aside your grading duties."
Seemingly caught in understanding, the man paused. "I, uh, oh…"
Removing his hand from her stomach, Aurora placed her on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Kissing the side of his head, she whispered, "Severus…I thank you for being so eager. Because I am excited to discover whether I am pregnant or not."
Nuzzling his nose against her head, Severus purred. "Oh, dear wife…you have made me so incredibly happy. Whether we discover you are pregnant or not, I love you all the same."
"And I love you, Severus. Always remember that." Sadly removing herself from his lap, Aurora stood. "Alright…you need to get back to marking parchment, and I have ingredients to obtain. Shall I leave you to yourself, then?"
"I'd rather you not, but…it must happen."
She giggled at that. "Do not fret, my dear husband; we shall see each other in only a few hours."
With that, she let Severus be, reluctantly leaving his side as she made her way through the dungeon toward their secret room they used for establishing their potion-making. Entering, she lit the fire, igniting a warm heat in the icy room. Once clearing the room of any lingering dust, as it had been some time since it had last been used. On the table, she opened the necessary potion book to page three hundred and ninety-four for the Draught of Peace recipe and a second book to page fifty-seven for the simple headache potion. The woman knew these recipes by heart but preferred having the books open for clarification as a means of being cautious. One could never be too careful when concocting potions.
For Severus and Aurora, they had two different ingredient storages in the castle. The main one was in this room containing the more common ingredients, while the secondary location was held on the seventh floor, which had anything that needed to be locked under secure enchantments.
Glancing through what they had, Aurora pulled the specific quantities for what she needed and set them aside. Since both potions were reasonably straightforward, she decided to do one at a time as both wouldn't take that long to complete. She began the easy task by setting aside the ingredients she could from this room. Igniting one cauldron, she inserted the correct amount of water and read through the textbook, making sure the recipe from her memory was the correct one she needed. Though she was the level of a Potions Mistress, she couldn't compare to the mastery her husband held. She took pride in her work, but even Aurora had to admit the level of proficiency Severus contained inside his mind.
In the brewing room by herself, Aurora set herself to the task. She kept her workstation clean and tidy, ready to prepare the next ingredient when needed. She stirred the cauldron, chopped the dittany, squashed the different herbs, and sliced the rat liver. The woman was meticulous as she quickly moved from one task to another.
It took almost two total hours, but the first potion was completed, and all she had to do was bottle the liquid into vials. Filling as many as she had, Aurora took note of how many brews remained in the cauldron. Deciding to take Poppy's offer about the additional vials she had on hand, Aurora decided to visit the infirmary before starting the second potion. Dinner would begin within the next hour, and after speaking with Severus earlier, she knew her husband would be in the Great Hall the moment dinner could be served.
Cleaning her workstation, the woman removed any ingredients she didn't need for the second potion and set aside the ones she would need. Glancing through the book, she noted several items she would need from the storage at the top of the castle. Writing what she would need on a small note, Aurora grabbed a basket to carry what she needed and set forth to the infirmary.
Inside the Hospital Wing, Poppy was working with several students, and she patiently waited off to the side until she could be helped. When the last student was seen, they waved at Aurora as they passed, leaving the professor and the medi-witch behind. Upon seeing Aurora, Poppy knew what she was seeking and provided a whole bundle of clean, empty vials waiting to be filled with the necessary potions. Aurora explained that she already had one complete and would start the second before dinner would start.
"You are such a sweetheart for doing this for me when your husband is busy, my dear," Poppy stated sweetly.
"Well, he's not the only master of potions in the castle anymore," Aurora winked, causing the medi-witch to giggle.
Leaving the Hospital Wing behind, Aurora trekked up to the seventh floor, meandering through the halls until she found their storage location. Waving her hand, the secure enchantments melted away, and she could open the hidden door to reveal a deep closet that held the secrets of her and Severus' potion-making. In reality, Severus had started the storage closet in the years he had been the Potions Master long before Aurora had arrived. Still, she had been the one to maintain and, even more so, properly code the jars upon jars of specimens that lay inside.
The woman placed the basket at her feet and climbed the ladder, searching far and wide for the needed ingredients. Despite everything else in their brewing room, she needed five missing ingredients. Locating the appropriate ones, she took the jar instead of removing the required amount into the basket. With four ingredients in the basket, Aurora stared at the top of the room, knowing the last one would be a pain. If Severus were here, he'd be able to grab it with no problem, but even on the highest step, Aurora was just a hair too short to reach it. Still, she persisted. As she climbed the old wooden ladder, the woman was determined to retrieve the last jar without help. At the top, she stood on her tiptoes and stretched her arm as far as it would go.
Almost there - she could feel her fingers graze the darned thing.
"Excuse me, my dear Aurora?"
Not expecting anyone to appear behind her, Aurora screeched and tilted her head toward the opening of the small storage space. At that moment, the woman lost her footing on the ladder, slammed into the wood, and slid to the floor. She would have crashed into the floor if a pair of arms hadn't caught her just before she hit. Breathing erratically, Aurora blinked at her savior to see that it was Igor Karkaroff as she smiled down at her. She huffed, seemingly scared that she had just fallen off the damn ladder and into the Durmstrang's Headmaster's arms.
Releasing her, Karkaroff set the woman down on her feet, allowing Aurora to stand on shaky legs. Grasping the leg of the ladder, she gained her standing, breathing carefully as her heart thudded painfully inside her ribcage. Glancing at the man, she smiled. "Thank you, Igor. That would have been one nasty fall without your assistance."
"Well, I would not want any harm to fall upon Severus Snap's wife."
Though she smiled at the comment, Aurora twitched at the same time. Why couldn't he have just stated her name? Why did he have to say it like that? Seemingly embarrassed, all she could say to his statement was, "Yep, that's me, the wife to one Severus Snape."
Why were people so fixated on that one fact?
With a shake of her head, Aurora banished the thought. Even after several weeks, people were still fascinated with the idea that Severus had indeed married someone, even if that was her. Turning back to Igor, she stared at the ladder, knowing she'd have to climb it again; she was still missing one ingredient.
"Seeing that you're here, were you in need of something?"
Chuckling lowly, the Headmaster shook his head. "Not particularly. I just had a meeting with Albus and was returning to my chambers when I noticed the door was open. Upon seeing this room's makeup, I wondered if Severus was there. But, to my surprise, I find you about to fall off the ladder."
She rolled her eyes. "The only reason I was about to fall was because you scared me. Besides that, I would have been fine."
"Hm, really now?" He quirked an eyebrow. She stared at the man over her shoulder before placing a foot on the first ladder step.
For some reason, this conversation rubbed Aurora the wrong way, and she wanted to escape. "I apologize, Igor, but I am in a hurry. Madame Pomfrey asked me to concoct some brews for this upcoming weekend, and I said I would complete them by tomorrow. I am just trying to reach the last ingredient needed, and I shall be on my way."
As she moved to step on the wooden contraption, a tight hand placed itself on her shoulder, pulling the woman downward. "Come now, I just merely want to hold a conversation. With the tournament and your teaching, we've barely had time to converse."
The woman's eyes widened at the hand on her shoulder. The increased thump of her heart was unexpected as she slowly turned to face the man. Not only was he still there, but he had stepped forward, placing himself in her bubble. With his increased closeness, Aurora had nowhere to go other than to push herself up against the ladder.
"You know, I have been very lonely these past few months since arriving here." His breath was unpleasantly warm against her skin, causing it to crawl at the proximity of his body. "Back at Durmstrang, one particular instructor would warm my bed whenever I requested, and she was happy to do so."
…excuse me?
What the hell was he talking about?
Lifting a finger, the man trailed his dirty nail across her skin, moving to cup the underside of her chin. His eyes bore into hers. His were hungry, consumed with seeking what he desperately sought after. He was a hunter.
And she was his prey.
"Igor, I-I don't…"
"The first night I saw you, Miss Aurora, I knew I wanted you." Leaning forward, Karkaroff pressed his nose against her hair, sniffing the long locks as they fell from her messy half-updo. Inhaling deeply, he muttered, "Gorgeous…"
Squirming, Aurora cursed. In her haste to obtain the ingredients, she left her wand on the workstation in their brewing room. Regardless, the woman could perform multitudes of wandless magic, but at that moment, she wanted the comfort her wand could bring her. And currently, the woman could not think of a single damn spell that could rescue her from this situation.
It was then she gasped.
Karkaroff trailed his lips across her cheek, lingering softly against her reddened skin, ever-growing closer to her lips. "I want you, my dear Aurora. You have been so kind and heartwarming that I missed a woman's touch in my bed. Please say you'll be mine."
Placing a hand against his chest, the witch pushed with a lackluster strength she failed to produce. That action only caused the Headmaster to laugh. "N-No, Severus, he…!"
Stepping even closer until he brushed the length of his knee into her core, Karkaroff continued to laugh. "Hm, Severus? Oh, my lady, forget about the man; forget about your husband." Curling his arm around Aurora, he grasped her ass firmly, claiming her flesh with his lengthened fingernails through the fabric of her jeans. "Even if it's just one night, let us forget your dear husband and solely focus on me. What do you say, my dear?"
She violently shook her head. This isn't what she wanted. She didn't want him. Never could she want a man besides Severus!
Karkaroff groped harder, and she cried out. Seeking his chance, the man thrust his lips against hers, sinking his tongue into her mouth and combining theirs. Momentarily caught off guard, Aurora couldn't process what was happening. She knew Karkaroff had taken the chance to kiss her, but this wasn't a kiss. This was dominance, a game he desired to play that she did not want to participate in. She would not be a pawn in this game. She would not let him win.
Shoving the man with everything she had, Karkaroff fell off and was thrown into the door frame. "No!" She cried out. Her vision grew blurry, and the woman knew an onslaught of tears was about to happen. But she would not break in front of this man.
The man lifted an eyebrow once more. "…no? Oh, my dear Aurora. I don't think you understand." Stepping in front of her before she could blink, the Headmaster grasped the woman by her wrists, pinning them above her head. This position forced Aurora's chest to puff out and arch, lifting her breasts towards the man's face as he licked his lips. "I don't take no for an answer. Now…you will be a good girl and bow down to me, yes?"
She whimpered. "Y-You can't do this!"
"And why not? I always take what I want; right now, Aurora Snape, I want you." Tossing, she tried to throw off his hold on her, but to no avail; his grip was firm. Between her legs, the man shoved his knee harder into her core, causing the woman to gasp out in surprise and disgust. "You are so warm down there, Aurora. Pray, you want me too, do you not?"
"N-NO! Please, let me go!"
"I don't think so. You'll spend one night with me and never want your husband's company any longer." Dropping his lips to her neck, the man sucked harshly, causing Aurora to cry out.
Several tears fell from her eyes. She was a witch, for fucks sake; why couldn't she think of a single spell? Anything would do! She just needed something to get this man off of her, and then she could seek solace in Albus's office down the corridor. Eyes peering toward the door, she wished she had the bravery to do something, anything!
Her eyes shot open. Karkaroff snuck his hand beneath the hem of her t-shirt, clawing his disgusting fingers against her skin. Thinking the goosebumps forming was her positive reaction, the man sneered with delight. "See? Your body is reacting to my touch. You want this just as much as me, my dear; admit it."
There was only one option she could think of at the moment. Opening her mouth, she screamed. However, what should have been a powerful scream was nothing but a weak attempt to shatter the vocals. Instead, she croaked, eyes closing as Karkaroff was able to maneuver his hand to her breast, finagling his grip through her bra until he found the hardening nub.
No, why was her body reacting this way? She didn't want this! She only wanted the touch of her husband and no one else! Severus, Severus!
"Severus!" She cried out his name, hoping that with everything she held, her voice would magically be heard across the castle into the deep, dark dungeons she called home.
"What is going on here?"
Atop her, Karkaroff froze before throwing himself off Aurora. Turning, he found Severus standing in the doorway, arms crossed as the man sneered at the display before him. Aurora was disheveled. Her hair was messy, her skin was reddened, there were several bruised marks on her throat, and her shirt was lifted until it revealed her lacy bra underneath. Quickly, she fixed her shirt as she noticed the haunted look in her husband's eyes.
"Severus!" She cried his name once more.
But Karkaroff was quick. "Ah, Severus! My close friend. Your lovely wife here was kind enough to show me the wares of your potion storage. Quite the feat the two of you have created here, yes?"
Staring long and hard at the Headmaster, the male professor cast his hardened gaze to his wife to find her violently shaking, her eyes barely able to meet his. Knowing his only option, Severus pushed his mind forward to Aurora, noticing how she willingly allowed him into hers. Not only that, but she knew what he was looking for and guided him toward the recent memory. The man was only there for seconds but could witness the last ten minutes his wife had experienced with the Headmaster.
Swiftly, the Potions Master removed his mentality from his wife's, no longer wanting to see what she suffered. All the while, Karkaroff was talking to him as if he had not been the culprit to cause such discomfort to his wife.
"Severus, are you even listening to me?"
"Don't you dare be dodgy now, Igor." Severus had grasped Karkaroff by the throat in a flash and lunged him against the wall. Vials and bottles dinged against one another, almost falling from their protective shelves. "You vile, mangy git. How dare you place your hands on my wife!"
Through a choked voice, Karkaroff muttered, "Wha-Wha' do you mean, S-Severus?"
That only caused the professor to dig his fingers deeper into the man's neck, effectively cutting off his air supply. All the while, Aurora could only watch. "Don't you dare stand there and claim innocence. I know exactly what you fucking did to her. Did you think you could get away with it? Did you think I wouldn't know that you touched my wife?!"
"P-Please, I…I didn't mean to…!"
"Shut it!" Pulling out his wand from his robes, Severus released his hold on Karkaroff. Instead of backing down, Severus replaced his fingers with his wand, stabbing the man in the neck.
Aurora knew what the man was capable of, the spells he's created. She knew when the man was bluffing and when he was serious. And right now, not only was he serious, the man was pissed off. Stepping toward her husband, she shakily grasped his arm, trying to pull him away. She said in a small voice, "Please…just let it go."
He sneered at the woman. "Let it go? Aurora, this man - what he did to you!"
"I'm very well aware. But he's not worth you getting sacked for protecting me. Please…if necessary, we can speak with Albus about the matter."
Peering at Karkaroff, who was shaking slightly, Severus relented and slowly dropped his wand. The moment he had his chance, the Headmaster kept toward the door, but Severus grabbed the back of his robe before he could do so, dropping his lips to the man's ear. "If I ever catch you alone with my wife again, I won't be so generous. Do you understand me?"
"Y-Yes, yes, Severus!"
"Good. Now get the hell out of my sight."
When the Headmaster was gone, Severus slammed the thick, wooden door, effectively closing himself and Aurora inside the small storage space. Angrily turning, Severus wanted to snap at his wife, but the moment he saw her curled on the floor, the man's heart shattered. Aurora had fallen against the ladder and slid to the floor; silent tears flew down her face like a swift river. Dropping to his knees, Severus didn't know what to do. Would the woman want to be comforted or touched? Would she even want his help? Catching her eye, the male held his arms open for her to decide whether she wished to the hug or not. Her movement was immediate as she fell into her husband's arms, her cries echoing across the tiny room.
Severus muttered soft words as he rubbed her back, wanting nothing more than for the woman to feel safe. Severus sat on the floor, holding his wife, his mind wandering back to the sight he saw. All he could see was how Karkaroff cornered his wife. The way he touched her, the way he kissed her. Biting his lip, Severus withheld a snarl from releasing past his lips. He truly, sincerely wanted to kill the man. How dare he…how dare that bloody arsehole!
"Sev, I-I'm sorry!"
"Huh?" Peering down to see Aurora staring at him with tear-filled eyes, the man shook his head, kissing her temple. "No, don't you dare apologize to me. You have done nothing wrong."
"But, Igor, he…!"
"I know what he did; thank you for showing me the truth. But everything that happened is all on him, not you, never you, Aurora."
She cried out, grasping the front of Severus' frock tighter. "I didn't want him to touch me…I didn't like it, please believe me!"
Cupping her cheeks, the man brought her face closer to his. "Aurora Snape, listen to me because I need you to understand. You have done nothing wrong."
"But…but I'm a witch! I-I left my wand downstairs, but I still could have…I could have still used my magic, and I didn't!"
"And that's ok," the man wanted to scream, but he withheld himself from doing so at the last moment. "Aurora, listen to me. I do not blame you for anything that has happened. As I said, all of that falls onto Igor and not you. Do you understand?"
"But, I…even after that, do you still love me…?"
"Always," was Severus' immediate reply. Placing his forehead against hers, the man was gentle with his words. "You have done nothing wrong to warrant me to stop loving you. I place no blame nor hate on you, Aurora.
Aurora knew he was stating the truth. She wanted to believe him; she chose to believe him. With a nod, she quietly said, "Ok…I…" She swallowed but had to ask one last time. "You…sure you're not mad? I swear - I hated him touching me…!"
The wizard tenderly placed a finger against her lips and shook his head. "I know you did. It's ok. Everything is okay." Glancing at the basket beside her, the man took inventory of what she was grabbing. "Were you able to get all the ingredients you needed?"
Aurora shook her head, her hair swishing around her face. "No, I was trying to get the last one when Igor scared me." Pointing to the top of the storage room, she said, "All I need is the vial of fairy blood."
Kissing her forehead, he said, "Give me one second." Leaving her on the ground, Severus quickly maneuvered up the ladder, reaching the last step as he leaned over and grasped the specific vial of purple fairy blood. Stepping down, he placed the vial in the basket, took hold of the handle, and held his free hand out for Aurora to take. Taking hold of his hand, she stood and tried clearing her face, but Aurora knew her skin was a deep red.
Using all the secret passageways, Severus guided Aurora down to their dungeon home, never once letting go of her hand. Taking their time, Severus tried to keep a small conversation, though he knew his wife was probably not in the mood to converse. However, the wizard knew there was probably one item that might make her smile. First stepping inside their brewing room, Severus led his wife to the chair and dropped off the basket, asking for a moment as he disappeared into the dungeon corridor.
Taking a deep breath, Aurora stood and grasped the basket, placing it on the table. Taking the empty vials from inside, the witch filled the remaining glasses until no more brew remained in the cauldron. When the last drop had been removed, Aurora immediately cleaned the cauldron. With a wave of her hand, all remaining liquid evaporated, leaving a clean cauldron to create a secondary potion. Wasting not a second, Aurora filled the clean cauldron with water and ignited the flames beneath it, immediately inserting the first ingredient - the purple fairy's blood.
Aurora placed the remaining ingredients in the required order based on the recipe. She was about to chop the rat tail into squares when the door opened, revealing Severus as he reentered, giving the woman a soft smile. Moving behind her, Severus watched his wife go through the motions, always loving to watch how the woman worked with her potions. Stepping beside her after she placed the tales one by one inside the potion, he followed her movement, handing her the next ingredient, enthralled by the precise way she chopped, squashed, cut, sliced, and slivered. Even though the brew she was making was a simple headache potion, this was slightly more complicated than the previous one she concocted.
Deciding now was the best time for a break, Severus waved his hand over the cauldron, casting a stasis charm on the brew. Tilting her head, Aurora gave a questioning look to her husband as he merely smiled. "Is it…time for dinner?"
Severus shook his head. "Dinner's probably about ten minutes away, but I…I thought that maybe you would like to do something before we head up to the Great Hall."
"Oh? And what would that be?"
Pulling the vial he brewed earlier, Severus wiggled it before his wife's eyes. "I don't know about you, but I didn't want to wait until after we ate. And…I thought you might like to do something that could…help you smile."
Even with his words, he had the woman smiling. It was small, but there was a slight lifting of her lips. "You are just as eager as me, aren't you?"
Dropping a kiss on her head, Severus was bashful with his following words. But still, he was bold with his movement as he placed a hand on her abdomen, something he had been doing enough lately. He was surprised Aurora wasn't sick of the action. But she wasn't. What Severus didn't know is that it swelled Aurora's heart every time he did so because, to Aurora, it only confirmed that this was what her husband wanted, just as she did.
Holding his hand that held the vial, she slightly tightened her fingers. "I would love nothing more than to do this with you, Severus." Exhaling softly, Severus nodded. "Um…obviously, I've never used a pregnancy potion. What…am I supposed to drink it?"
Her husband shook his head. "No, this isn't meant for consumption. All you need to do is release several drops of blood into the vial and wait for several minutes."
She instantly understood. "Ah, it's a color-changing potion, I see." Taking the vial in her hand, she uncapped the cork and placed it on the table. Grabbing the knife, she cleaned the blade of any existing juices from the ingredients and set it against her thumb. Before cutting herself, she glanced at her husband and whispered, "Everything will be alright, even if it's negative, right?"
The man wrapped a hand around her shoulder, pulling her close against his chest. "Positive or negative does not change anything, Aurora."
Swallowing, she nodded in understanding. Taking a deep breath, she gently sliced her thumb with just enough pressure to ensure the blood would flow from the cut. Removing the blade, she winced slightly, but when her blood pressed forward, she grabbed the vial and placed her wound over the opening, allowing three, four, then five drops of the red liquid to enter the clear vial. Her blood instantly mixed with the liquid, simultaneously swirling the clear content to different colors.
"So…what now?"
"We wait, usually about five minutes. If it's positive, it'll turn red, but if it's negative, it'll turn black." Aurora nodded once more, setting the swirling potion on the table. Not wanting to watch the vial for five minutes, she placed her back against the table and slid to the floor. Watching her first, Severus copied her movements, sliding to the floor beside his wife. Taking her hand in his, Severus kissed her palm. "Say, Aurora…what do you think life will be like once we are to have a child?"
Smiling at the thought, Aurora was quiet momentarily, considering her husband's words. "It's…hard to say. I think it'd be a blessing."
Linking their fingers together, Severus tilted his head back against the table. "I think so too, it's just…I've said this before, but…would I make a decent father? I don't know from experience what a good father even is."
"And I've said this before, but you know what a terrible father is, so you know what not to become." It was her turn to kiss her husband's hand. "I think you'll be patient and kind and oh so loving. You will want the best for our child, and I know you'll do nothing more than devote your life to protecting your son or daughter."
Severus cast a side glance at her. "You're very adamant I am those things. I think you'll be the better parent between us."
"And to be honest, you could be right. But there's also the thought that I might be the better parent one day, but then you may be the better one on a different day. What we must consider is the love we give our children. As long as we can provide them with a roof over their head, food, and lots and lots of love, we will raise our child in the best way possible."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Don't forget that I also grew up with a terrible parent, so I know what not to be as well."
Not knowing how to respond to that, Severus merely nodded. However, one question had been plaguing his mind for the last few weeks, and since this was something they wanted to achieve, he thought now would be the best time to ask. "Aurora…would you prefer a boy or a girl?"
"Hm?" Instead of peering upward at her husband, she leaned her head against his shoulder. "Let's see, a boy or a girl…Honestly, the thought hasn't crossed my mind. Part of me wants a little girl, but I wouldn't care in the end. If anything, I would want my baby to be happy and healthy. The most important thing would be that they look like you."
"Oh bloody hell," Severus grasped his nose. "I do not think so. If anything, I want them to have your beauty."
"And what about yours?"
Severus scoffed at that statement. "My beauty? I have none, Aurora."
"We are so not going back down that road. I want them to have beautiful black hair, and you would need to share a portion of your genius brain."
"If you want them to have my genius brain, don't forget about yours. You are just as brilliant as me, if not more."
"Aw, you're making me blush."
"That's always the goal." Severus tightened his fingers around hers. "Aurora…are you sure we'll be decent parents?"
The witch instantly nodded at that. "Decent or perfect or maybe something in-between. I know that we'll love our child with everything we have." Moving forward, she peered around her husband until they were face-to-face. "I believe in our abilities to be parents, Severus. Do you?"
It was Severus' turn to nod instantly. "With you by my side, Aurora, we can handle anything." Lifting back to stare at the table, he imagined it had been five minutes and pointed to the vial. "So…think you're ready?"
"No, but…I so desperately want to know." Closing her eyes, Aurora reached behind her and slowly took hold of the vial, keeping it tightly in her hands as she brought it against her chest. Stealing a glance at her husband, Aurora sighed significantly. "You said that red is positive, right?"
"Yes."
"Ok." Inhaling deeply, she blinked, her gut already screaming what she feared would be the color. Slowly unraveling her fingers, Aurora held her palm upward for her and Severus to see the vial. And it was just as she anticipated.
The liquid was black.
Placing his hand over hers, Severus took the vial from his wife's hands, not wanting her to stare at it any longer. "Aurora…"
Though she wanted to cry, she did not. She expected this, but it still did not lessen the blow. "I knew it would be negative, but…it still hurts."
"I know, Aurora, I…I wish it would have been different."
Nuzzling into her husband's side, Aurora said, "This just means it wasn't time. Right? There's always another chance."
"Exactly," Severus agreed. "We've already said it's only been a few weeks. We may end up trying to get pregnant for the next several months, maybe even a year, who knows. But that won't stop me. Will it stop you?"
"If that means I'll eventually get to be the mother to your child, then never."
Smiling gently, Severus stood, taking hold of his wife's hand, and pulled her to her feet. "Let's put this aside for now and get some dinner. Does that sound good? We can drown our sorrows in food."
A soft laugh escaped past her lips. She didn't think consuming food was a healthy way to destress, but sometimes, it was the best medicine. And what with the past hour she's had, Aurora wanted nothing more than to eat something savory and sweet. She wanted something sweet, a comfortable night beside her husband, and the ability to smack Karkaroff in the face.
She didn't think she'd be able to follow through on the last thought, but still, the idea made her feel just a tiny bit better. It would also help if she brushed her teeth. Aurora swore she could still taste Karkaroff's lips alone, and the thought made her sick once again. The woman believed Severus was telling the truth and that he trusted her, but still, she felt that some part of what happened was her fault. She could have done something different, right?
No! That's precisely what Severus said! It's not like she asked for Karkaroff to touch her inappropriately. It's not like she asked to be treated like a plaything, only there so she could be at his disposal.
Wanting to smile, she did so because Severus was by his side. When she didn't believe in the situation, he held her hand, whispering nothing but comforting words. Deciding that what happened had happened, she placed it behind her. Something far worse could have happened, yet it didn't, and she would be grateful for that.
"That does sound decent, especially with the last hour I've had. Can I have more than one serving? Pretty please…?"
Pulling the woman into his arms, Severus answered, "You, my dear wife, can have as much food as you want."
"Including several cupcakes?"
"Including the cupcakes."
~ oOo ~
Tell me! Were you guys thinking it was going to be positive or negative?
I will say that there were parts that could be written better, but I've been having such a hard time lately that I just wanted SOMETHING to be posted.
DragonGoddess629